Tuesday, April 6

My girls have been caught up in watching old musicals lately. They don't watch them just once, but over and over so they learn the songs and then sing the sings over and over. Honestly, it's not bad to listen to as most of the songs are fun and definitely an improvement over what the teen aged boys listen to while doing dishes on their day. But a gem of a non-musical movie was recently picked up at our last stop at the library when I was browsing through all the movies while they were looking for books. The movie primarily caught my eye because a young Hayley Mills was one of the main actresses and we love watching her in the old Parent Trap. The movie is The Trouble with Angels and was filmed back in 1965. The storyline takes place in an all girls boarding school which was run by nuns and follows the adventures of two girls whose friendship grows as they go from one bit of trouble to the next.

I think the first time I watched the movie my eyes were following the two girls, but by the end of the movie I knew who my heart wanted to follow more closely. So, the second time I watched the movie I paid closer attention to the character of Mother Superior who was played by Rosalind Russell. Although the main encounters with this character involve the discipline of the two troublemaking teens, there are glimpses of the character of this character throughout the movie. She is often shown alone outdoors as she takes time for meditation. Or she is shown in action by comforting an older woman, helping a student with a sewing project late at night, weeping over the loss of a dear friend, feeding the birds, or encouraging the sisters. It is evident that this character has a healthy balance of spending time alone with God and then living out her faith in often quiet behind-the-scene ways which are quite meaningful as she loves God's people, even the difficult ones. The testimony of her life greatly impacts one character.

It caused me to ponder what my life looks like to my children. Am I seen only as the disciplinarian around home since child training involves so much of that on a daily basis? Or do they catch glimpses of my spiritual life and realize its importance to me? Is my faith lived out in behind-the-scenes ways that are meaningful and can be seen as acts of serving others because of God's love in my life? Will the testimony of my life impact their lives?

Ahhh, definitely ponderings that perhaps only God will ever know the answers, eh? In the meantime, I need to keep at the task that He has given me as a mother by staying in His Word, drawing on His strength, and keeping up with the trouble my own angels get into!

Over the past few months I have really been challenged in my parenting. My two young boys (a year apart-6,7) have really put me into more disciplining situations that I would like. I have grown weary of being consistent, I think fear set in as we neared Simenesh coming home. Please keep me (us) in prayer, as tonight I found out that I lost my adult sitter for the week we are gone. (my sweet sister in law is going to have to undergo a C section earlier than expected). I am trying to keep my peace but things keep coming up in challenge to it (for both my husband and myself)...

Oh, how I'd love to watch an old movie...I am going to check our library online to see if they have it.

If you have other glimpses you'd like to share, please drop me a note at: tam.gardening@yahoo.com

gardening goals

"Cultivate faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love in your children. For if they are growing in these qualities, they won't be ineffective or unproductive, and they will never stumble." - paraphrase of II Peter 1:5-10 from "Hugs for the Heart"